Recovered firearms… questions on insurance process

Alright, using a throwaway for this one.

Back in December, my car got broken into, and several guns, along with other things, were stolen. Yeah, I know—I should’ve been more careful, but I was on my way back from hunting. The stolen guns included a Browning, a CZ, and a Glock, worth about $2600, $700, and $540. My insurance did reimburse me for the loss, though they had a $2500 cap on firearms, so I used the other stolen item values to cover everything.

Now, I got a call from the local police saying they found the shotguns during a search at a suspected burglar’s house. They asked me to pick them up, but didn’t mention any of the other stuff, which I guess would be easier to sell. I have a lot of sentimental value attached to the Browning, so I’d really like to keep it. I already bought a replacement gun that’s actually a better deal, so I’d keep both if I can.

From what I understand, the recovered guns technically belong to the insurance company now. How should I approach them? The officer told me it’s up to me to contact insurance. Do I have a time limit? And, would I have to pay full value for the Browning? The CZ isn’t as important since I already replaced it with the same model. Not looking to do anything shady—just want to understand how this might play out so I’m ready.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Honestly, I’d probably just keep them, but if the police didn’t report it, they’d leave it up to you. Just saying, if I were in your shoes, I might not bother telling them.

Toby said:
Honestly, I’d probably just keep them, but if the police didn’t report it, they’d leave it up to you. Just saying, if I were in your shoes, I might not bother telling them.

Yeah, but that’d be insurance fraud, which is a felony. I’d hate to lose my right to own guns over that. Plus, they’re still considered stolen property, and I’m technically not the legal owner now, so I could get hit with possession of stolen firearms too. Thanks for replying, though—it’s a quiet forum, so I appreciate any input. I was hoping for something like, ‘Offer them a percentage of the value,’ if anyone has advice like that. It’s probably a stretch to get it for less than full value, but worth asking.

@Quinlan
You’re totally right—I was out of line with that. Maybe ask on insurance or firearm forums for better advice.

Toby said:
@Quinlan
You’re totally right—I was out of line with that. Maybe ask on insurance or firearm forums for better advice.

No worries! Thanks for the idea. Yeah, I think I’ll go ahead and try that.